Can-drying



Feb. 7, 1967 A. l.. STUCHBERY 3,302,298

CAN-DRYING Filed April a, 196s 2 sheets-sheet 1 l. I l l l I .l IMNIWNyw/{WN |.w\| 1 f Feb. 7, i967 A. 1 STUCHBERY 3,302,298

CAN-DRYING Filed April a, 1965 v 2 sheets-sheet 2 nvenlor United States Patent "e 3,302,298 CAN-DRYING Arthur Leslie Stuchbery, Enfield, England, assignor to The Metal Box Company Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Apr. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 271,350

Claims priority, application Great Britain, Apr. 26, 1962,

16,054/ 62 17 Claims. (Cl. 34-17) thereof between heated surfaces engaging the. sides of the cans and simultaneously directing a gas on the'ends of the cans.

Further according to the invention there is provided apparatus for drying cans comprising contra-rotating heated -belts spaced apart to engage the sides of cans and to eliect rotation thereof about their longitudinal axes, driving means to effect rotat-ion of the belts, and means operable to direct a gas against the ends of the cans during rotation thereof by the belts.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: v

FIGURE lis a side elevationof apparatus for carrying out the invention, and

It is an object of the present iny 3,302,298 Patented Feb. 7, 1967 ICC 18, FIGURE 2, and which is connected with the link mechanism and is controlled from the electrical circuit of the motor.

The -link mechanism is shown more clearly in FIG- URE 2, and includes a toggle arm 19 supported for rocking movement about a fixed axis 20. The toggle arm is connected at one end 21 to one heater element 16 and the opposite end of the toggle arm is provided with a slot 22 in which is located a pin 23 carried by a link arm 24 rockable with a rocking bar 25 supported for rocking movement by a bracket 26 carried by the frame 3. Also secured to the rocking bar 25 is a lever 27 which is connected with the solenoid 18, as by a rod 28. The solenoid when operated on stopping of motor 15, is de-enerlgized and a spring 29 effects rocking of the rocking bar 25, thus through the pin 23 and slot 22 causing the toggle a-rm 19 to be rocked clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 2, about axis 20 to move the heater element 16 out of engagement with the belt, as shown in the drawings. On starting of the motor the solenoid is energized thus rocking the lever 27 to cause rocking of the toggle arm 19 about axis 20 in a counterclockwise direction to restore t-he heater element 16 to the operative position thereof to effect heating of the belt.

Each solenoid 18 simultaneously operates a lplurality, three as shown in the drawings, of heater elements 16. Each of the heater elements 16a, 16h has a toggle arm 19 and is supported for rocking movement about a fixed axis 20 by a link arm 24 and a lever 27 but the levers 27 for the elements 16a, 16b are connected by links 30 with the lever 27 which is connected by the rod 28 with the FIGURE 2 is an elevation to an enlarged scale of a directed passage through the lower end of which they issue and are received into a chute or on to a conveyor, not shown. The apparatusfor drying the cans is supported on a framework 3 and the passageway is formed .by contra-rotating heated belts 4, 5 which respectively pass round pulleys 6, 7 and 8, 9. The pulleys 6 and 8 are respectively rotatable with shafts 10, 11 which are supported by the frame 3 for rotation and carry sprockets 12, 13, around which passes a chain 14 driven by an electiric motor 15.

The belts 4, 5 are spaced apart to engage the sides of cans 1 delivered therebetween from chute 2 and are moved at different linear speeds to effect rotation of the cans 1 about the longitudinal axes thereof as they pass from the upper to the lower end, that is from right to left as viewed in FIGURE 1, of the passage-way formed by the belts. The surfaces of the belts which engage the cans are engaged -by heater devices arranged to effect heating of the belts during rotation thereof. Each belt is engaged by heater 'elements 16, 17 and each heater element 1-6 is an arcuate element conforming to and opposed to the periphery of a pulley 7 or 9, as appropriate, and is supported for movement into and out of engagement with a belt. Movement of the heater element is effected by actuating means which moves the heater out of engagement with the belt on cessation of operation of the motor 15 and returns the heater element into engagement with the belt on starting operation of the motor. The actuating means includes links mechanism which supports the heater element for movement into and out of engagement with the belt and a solenoid, shown diagrammatically at As the cans move between the heated belts 4 and 5, they are rotated about their longitudinal axes and, being engaged by the belts, have the moisture removed from the sides thereof. The belts are heated to a temperature which renders them sterile.

It will be understood that the ends of the cans also have moisture thereon and this is dried during rotation of the cans abouttheir longitudinal axes by the belts 4, 5 by directing a gas, either cold or heated, on to the ends of the cans. As illustrated in FIGURE l, drying of each end of a can is effected by an air pipe 31, into which air is pumped by means not shown, and a steam pipe 32 into which steam is Ifed Iand which is disposed in close juxtaposition with the air pipe 31 so that the air in the pipe 31 may be heated by the steam pipe. The pipes 31 and 30 extend lengthwise of the passage through which the cans are passed during rotation about their longitudinal axes. Each Vair pipe 31 is provided with perforations 33, FIGURE l, which are directed towards the paths of the opposite ends of the cans moving along the passage and are so disposed as to direct cold or heated air, as appropriate, on tothe ends of the cans moving along the passage thereby to effect drying of the can ends.

The heater elements 17 are supported for movement towards and away from the belts by mechanism shown in FIGURE l. The elements 17 are moved about arcuate paths 36, by links 37, 38 pivoted at 39, 40 to brackets 41 carried by the frame 3. The link 38 is connected by a -rod 42 with a solenoid 43 controlled from the electric circuit of the motor 15. A roller 44 carried by link 38 is engagable with stops 45, 46 which limit the extent of movement of the element 17.

The heater elements 17 are opposed by plates 47 :and further plates 48 define the width of the passage formed by the belts 4 and 5. The plates 48 are supported -by supporting members 49 movable towards and away from each other under the control of a hand wheel 50 in order to adjust the width of the passage to accommodate the diameterof the cans of a batch to be passed through the 3 passage for drying by the belts 4, 5 and air from pipes 31. The hand wheel 50 rotates a sh-aft 51 which, through bevel gears 52, rotates further shafts 53 which, in turn, control the movement of the upper unit towards and away from the lower unit.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for drying cans of the type including generally cylindrical can bodies and opposite ends comprising heated means for engaging diametrically opposite exterior surface portions of can bodies, and means for moving said heated means in opposite directions at different relative speeds for both rotating said cans about their axes and advancing said cans along a predetermined path of travel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for directing a gas against the can ends.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including an air pipe connectable with the source of pressurized air and extending lengthwise of said can path, said pipe being provided with perforations directed towards a portion of the path defined by the ends of the cans moving along the can path and so disposed as to direct heate-d air onto the ends of cans moving along the can path.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 including a steam pipe disposed in close juxtaposition with the air pipe and arranged for connection with a source of steam to effect heating of the air in the air pipe.

5. Apparatus for drying cans of the type including generally cylindrical can bodies `and opposite ends comprising opposed means defining a predetermined path of travel for said cans, a first .and said opposed means contacting can bodes at a first exterior surface portion, a second of said opposed means contacting can bodies at a second exterior surface portion diametrically opposite the contact between the first opposed means and the first exterior surface portion, means for Iheating said opposed means, and means for moving the first and second means in opposite directions at different speeds whereby the cans are both rotated about the axes thereof and advanced along the predetermined path of travel.

6. Apparatus for drying cans of the type including generally cylindrical can bodies and opposite ends comprising opposed means defining a predetermined path of travel for said cans, a first and said opposed means contacting can bodies at a first exterior surface portion, a second of said opposed means contacting can vbodies at a second exterior surface portion diametrically opposite the contact between the first opposed means `and the first exterior surface portion, means for heating said opposed means, means for heating the opposite ends of said cans, means for moving the first and second means in opposite directions at different speeds whereby the cans are both rotated about the `axes thereof and advanced along the predetermined path of travel.

7. Apparatus for drying cans of the type including generally cylindrical can bodies and opposite ends comprising opposed means defining a predetermined path of travel for said cans, a first of said opposed means contacting can bodies at a first exterior surface portion, a second of said opposed means contacting can bodies at a second exterior surface portion diametrically opposite the contact between the first opposed means and the first exterior surface portion, means for heating said opposed means, means for moving the first and second means in opposite directions at different speeds whereby the cans are both rotated about the axes thereof `and advaned along the predetermined path of travel, and means for placing said heating means into contact with said opposed means only when said moving means move said first and second opposed means.

8. Apparatus for drying cans of the type including generally cylindrical can bodies and opposite ends; cornprising belts spaced apart to engage the diametrically opposite sides of cans and to effect rotation thereof about their longitudinal axes, driving means to effect rotation 4 of opposite runs of the |belts in opposite directions, heater devices engageable with the surfaces of the belts which engage the cans, said devices lbeing operable by means to effect heating of the belts only during the rotation thereof, and means operable to direct a gas against the ends of the cans during rotation thereof by the belts.

9. Apparatus for drying cans of the type including generally cylindrical can bodies and opposite ends; comprising belts spaced apart to engage the diametrically opposite sides of cans and to effect rotation thereof about their longitudinal axes, driving means to effect rotation of opposite runs of the belts in lopposite direction at different speeds, at least one heater element for each of said belts supported for movement into and out of engagement with the surface of the belt which engages the cans, said heater elements being operable by actuating means for heating the belts during the rotation thereof, and means operable to direct a gas against the ends of the cans during rotation thereof by the belts.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the actuating means includes link mechanism supporting the heater elements for movement into and out of engagement with the belts.

11. Apparatus for drying cans of the type including generally cylindrical can bodies and opposite ends; comprising belts spaced apart to engage the diametrically opposite sides of cans and to effect rotation thereof about their longitudinal axes, driving means to effect rotation of opposite runs of the belts in opposite directions, said driving means including an electric motor and pulleys around which the belts pass, a heater element for each said belt to effect heating of the belt during rotation thereof, each said heater element being of arcuate form conforming and opposed to the periphery of a pulley about which a belt passes, a link mechanism supporting each heater element for movement into and out of engagement with the belt with which the heater element cooperates, said link mechanism including a toggle arm supported for rocking movement about a fixed axis and connected at one end to the heater element, a link arm rockable with a rocking bar, a pin carried by the link arm and movable thereby in a slot formed in the toggle arm to effect rocking of the toggle arm about said fixed axis, a lever connected with the rocking bar and with a solenoid yoperable member controllable by the electrical circuit of said motor to effect rockin-g of the rocking bar in one direction, and a spring acting on the lever to effect rocking of the rocking bar in the direction opposite that in which it is rocked by the solenoid operable member, and means operable to direct a gas against the ends of the cans during rotation thereof by the belts.

12. Apparatus for drying cans of the type including generally cylindrical can bodies and opposite ends; cornprising belts spaced apart to form a downwardly directed passage along which `cans pass while the diametrically opposite sides thereof are engaged by the belts to effect rotation of the cans about their longitudinal axes, driving means to effect rotation of opposite runs of the belts in opposite directions, at least one heater element for each of said belts supported for movement into and out of engagement with thesurface of the belt which engages the cans, actuating means for moving said heater elements into engagement with said belts to effect heating of the belts during rotation thereof, and an air pipe connectable with a source of pressurised air and extending lengthwise of said passage, said pipe being provided with perforations directed towards the path of the ends of cans moving along the passage and so disposed as to direct heated air on to the ends of cans moving along the passage.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, including a steam pipe disposed in close juxtaposition with the air pipe and arranged for connection with a source of steam to effect heating of air in the air pipe.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said actuating means effect movement of the heater elements out of engagement with the belts on cessation 0f operation of the driving means and return the heater elements into engagement with the belts on starting of operation of the driving means.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the driving means includes :an electric motor and the actuating means includes link mechanism supporting the heater elements f-or movement into and out of engagement with the belts and solenoid means operatively connected with said link mechanism and controllable by the electrical circuit of said motor.

16. Apparatius for drying cans of the type including generally cylindrical can bodies and opposite ends; comprising belts spaced apart to form a passage along which cans pass while the bodies thereof are engaged by the belts to effect rotation of the cans about the longitudinal axes thereof, ydriving means to effect rotation of opposite runs of the belts in opposite directions, said driving means including an electric motor and pulleys around which the belts pass, a heater element for each said belt to effect heating of the belt during rotation thereof, each said heater elements being of arcuate form conforming and opposed to the periphery of a pulley about which a belt passes, a link mechanism supporting each heater element for movement into and out of engagement with the belt with which the heater element cooperates, said link mechanism including a toggle arm supported for rocking movement about a xed axis and connected at one end to the heater element, a link arm rockable with a rocking bar, .a pin carried by the link arm and movable thereby in a slot formed in the toggle arm to effect rocking of the toggle arm about said xed axis, a lever connected with the rocking bar and with a solenoid controllable element by the electrical circuit of said motor to effect rocking of the rocking bar in one direction, and a spring acting on the lever to effect rocking of the rocking bar in the direction opposite that in which it is rocked by the solenoid controllable element, and an air pipe connectable with a source of pressurised fair and extending lengthwise of said passage, said pipe being provided with perforations directed towards the path of the ends of cans moving along the passage and so disposed as to direct heated air on t-o the ends of cans moving along the passage.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, including a steam pipe disposed in close juxtaposition with the air pipe and arranged for connection with a source of steam to effect heating of air in the air pipe.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 469,389 2/ 1892 Kendall 34-236 506,184 10/1893 McDonald 198-161 X 932,610 8/1909 Hodgson. 1,333,006 3/1920 Welser. 1,535,539 4/1925 Mitton. 1,555,431 9/1925 Murphy 34-71 1,688,541 10/1928 Goldworthy et al. 34-71 2,523,080 9/1950 Webb 34-71 2,645,032 7/1953 Hammell 34-44 X 2,680,304 6/1954 Herbert 34-87 2,924,273 '2/ 1960 Conley et al. 159-12 FREDERICK L. MATTERSON, JR., Primary Examiner.

NORMAN YUDKOFF, JOHN I. CAMBY, Examiners.

JACK SOFER, A. D. HERRMANN,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. APPARATUS FOR DRYING CANS OF THE TYPE INCLUDING GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CAN BODIES AND OPPOSITE ENDS COMPRISING HEATED MEANS FOR ENGAGING DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE EXTERIOR SURFACE PORTIONS OF CAN BODIES, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID HEATED MEANS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AT DIFFERENT RELATIVE SPEEDS FOR BOTH ROTATING SAID CANS ABOUT THEIR AXES AND ADVANCING SAID CANS ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH OF TRAVEL. 